-
1939: A Memorable Year for Clark Gable
Everyone has specific years in their lives where they look back and realize that that particular year was one of the most memorable of their entire lives. 1939 is being heralded quite a bit this year, as it is widely considered the best year for movies in history, with classics such as Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Dark Victory, Ninotchka, Wuthering Heights, Beau Geste, Juarez, Stagecoach, etc. Looking back, I don’t think that Clark Gable could deny that 1939 was indeed a special year for him, personally and professionally. Let’s have a look back at Clark’s life, 75 years ago…. January –After…
-
June Movie of the Month: Dance Fools Dance (1931)
This month, Joan Crawford is a plucky newspaper reporter and Clark Gable is a loathsome gangster in Dance Fools Dance. Crawford is Bonnie Jordan, a rich girl suddenly thrown into the real world after her father dies and she finds out all his money is gone. She goes to work as a writer for the local newspaper. One of her assignments is to go undercover and get a story on a gangster, Jake (Gable). As Jake pursues her romantically, Bonnie finds out that her unscrupulous brother Rodney (William Bakewell) has hooked up with Jake’s gang and is in deep trouble. Joan and Clark were steaming things up behind the scenes…
-
Gossip Friday: Two Worried Mothers
Letter to the editor, February 1935: We are two young mothers who feel it our duty to not let the evil influence of our cinema contaminate the innocent young minds of our children. You can imagine our distress when we found out that our little Freddie, aged ten, and Johnnie, aged eleven, had wandered into the neighborhood theater during the showing of “Dancing Lady.” We feel that such pictures are a menace to civilizaton and that they should be abolished. Our little ones now prefer to attend an evening show instead of hearing bedtime stories. “Peter Rabbit” and “Bunny Brown” are being sadly neglected these days. We wonder if such…
-
Nutshell Reviews: Cain and Mabel (1936), Love on the Run (1936) and Parnell (1937)
In a Nutshell: Cain and Mabel (1936) Directed by: Lloyd Bacon Co-stars: Marion Davies Synopsis: Gable is Larry Cain, a small time boxer, whose publicity team cooks up a fake romance with Mabel O’Dare (Davies), an aspiring musical star, for publicity. The two loathe each other but begrudgingly agree to play along to help both of their careers. Of course along the way they actually do fall in love and decide to quit boxing and show business to be together. Their publicists won’t hear of it however and set to break them up. Best Gable Quote: “I’m supposed to be a fighter and what am I doing–playing post office all…
-
Nutshell Reviews: Chained (1934) and Forsaking All Others (1934)
In a Nutshell: Chained (1934) Directed by: Clarence Brown Co-stars: Joan Crawford, Otto Kruger Synopsis: Gable is Mike Bradley, a South American rancher who falls for the glamorous Diana (Crawford) on a cruise ship. Diana falls for Mike too, despite the fact that she is romantically involved with a married Manhattan businessman, Richard (Kruger). She decides to leave Richard for Mike but, upon her return home, Richard tells her he has finally left his wife for her. Diana feels obligated to marry Richard and Mike is heartbroken. Best Gable Quote: “I admit I was on the prowl until you dropped down from the sky.” Fun Fact: The Crawford-Gable affair had…
-
Nutshell Reviews: Dancing Lady (1933)
In a Nutshell: Dancing Lady (1933) Directed by: Robert Z. Leonard Co-stars: Joan Crawford, Franchot Tone, Fred Astaire Synopsis: Gable is Patch Gallagher, a short-fused Broadway producer who hires down-on-her-luck ex-burlesque dancer Janie Barlow (Joan Crawford) for the chorus line of his latest show. Janie is constantly pursued by a rich playboy admirer, Tod Newton (Franchot Tone). Patch begins to have feelings for plucky Janie, but grows bitter as it becomes obvious she is wrapped up with Tod. When he promotes her to the lead in the production, Tod becomes impatient (Janie said she’d marry him if the play fell through) and pays off the Broadway powers-that-be to shut the…
-
Nutshell Reviews: Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise (1931) and Possessed (1931)
In a Nutshell: Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise (1931) Directed by: Robert Z. Leonard Co-stars: Greta Garbo Synopsis: Garbo is Susan (born Helga), an illegitimate orphan raised in shame by her aunt and her cruel husband, who treats her like a slave. He picks a man for her to marry “so you won’t be without a wedding ring like your mother”. When the man tries to rape her, she runs away in a rainstorm, seeking shelter in a barn owned by architect Rodney (Gable). Rodney lets her stay with him and soon they are in love. When he leaves for a business trip, her uncle finds her and she…
-
Nutshell Reviews: The Finger Points (1931), The Secret Six (1931) and Laughing Sinners (1931)
In a Nutshell: The Finger Points (1931) Directed by: John Francis Dillon Co-stars: Richard Barthelmess, Fay Wray Synopsis: Barthelmess is Breckenridge Lee, a naive Southerner who comes to New York to be a newspaperman. It isn’t long before his innocence falls victim to gangsters, under the wing of tough guy Louis Blanco (Gable). He begins taking bribes and covering up stories for them. Breck’s girl, Marcia (Wray), urges him to go straight before it is too late. Best Gable Quote: “Double-crossing is very unhealthy in this town. Do you feel well?” Fun Fact: Clark filmed scenes for The Finger Points, Night Nurse and The Easiest Way simultaneously. My Verdict: Clark is…
-
Nutshell Reviews: The Easiest Way (1931) and Dance Fools Dance (1931)
In a Nutshell: The Easiest Way (1931) Directed by: Jack Conway Co-stars: Constance Bennett, Adolphe Menjou, Robert Montgomery, Anita Page Synopsis: In this scandalous pre-code, Lolly Murdock (Bennett) is a young woman anxious to escape her impoverished family. She quickly realizes that the easiest way to do that is by being “kept” by rich men. She begins an affair with afluent businessman William (Menjou), who keeps her in furs and expensive jewels. Although this brings her the riches and lifestyle she has always dreamed of, it alienates her from the man she really loves (Montgomery) and her family. Especially her sister, Peg (Page), who married hard-working blue collar Nick (Gable),…
-
Gossip Friday: Santa Checks Up on Good Boys and Girls
In the January 1935 issue of Hollywood magazine, they printed “Santa’s book” of good and bad points for film stars. So who’s getting what they wanted for Christmas and who is getting coal? CLARK GABLE Good Points: For giving is It Happened One Night. Being always thoughtful of others. When a friend had no place to keep her dog, he gave it a home on his ranch. Bad Points: Balks at picture assignments with women stars. Drives studio frantic by disappearing between pictures, when he is wanted for story conferences. Gifts: More dogs to take care of CAROLE LOMBARD Good Points: Proved she could act in Twentieth Century. Came…